


Mirror

by Steveuschrist



Series: John and His Bat [13]
Category: Batman: The Telltale Series (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dorks in Love, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mild Blood, No One Killed Anyone, Post-Episode 5, Self-Reflection, The Enemy Within, vigilante ending, vigilante joker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-06-30 21:48:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15760365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steveuschrist/pseuds/Steveuschrist
Summary: Bruce was always told that he looks so much like his father.





	Mirror

_“You look so much like your father!”_

It was a phrase Bruce heard his entire life. A phrase he heard even before the death of his parents.

Almost every family friend he’d met had said it. Almost every random person he’d met had said it.

_“When he gets older he’ll be as handsome as his father!”_

Another phrase he’d heard, when he was just starting school. He’d always hide behind his mother when meeting new people, his ears burning from embarrassment. His mother was always so patient with him, telling him that she was also shy at heart.

_“I loved that movie. Saw it countless times at that theater. How long did it play there?”_

_“Only when you wanted to see it, Bruce. Your mother arranged the special screenings personally.”_

_“I never knew that.”_

Bruce’s mother. After everything, he couldn’t stop loving her. She was good. She wasn’t like his father.

He wasn’t his father’s son. He was Alfred’s.

After everything with the Children of Arkham, Bruce covered all the mirrors in the manor. He didn’t want anything to do with his father. He didn’t want to be reminded of how much he looked like him.

The phrase had once been one that he’d give a small smile in response to. He’d felt insignificant, like he’d never be able to live up to his father’s accomplishments.

Covering all the mirrors helped, but only so much. Bruce would catch his reflection in other objects, or when he was not at home.

And still, not everyone trusted him. He would get looks that he knew were about the scandal with his father.

When John moved in, Bruce was quick to uncover all the mirrors again. One time, he thought John had been asleep, so he was taking the time to uncover one in the hallway.

“Wait, there’s been a mirror under there the whole time?”

Bruce turned, only to see John in his sleep clothes, his head tilted in curiosity. “I thought it was just a painting, like, of your parents, or something. I didn’t wanna ask. All the things covered up like this… are they mirrors?”

Bruce pulled the sheet down the rest of the way, not taking his eyes off of John. “Yes.”

John frowned a bit, looking into their reflections. “Why?” John gave him a small grin. “Were you pretending to be a vampire? The whole ‘no reflection’ thing?”

Bruce looked into the mirror. “No, just.. Almost every time I’ve met someone, they’ve remarked about how much I look like my father. After finding out the truth about him I just… I didn’t want to be reminded of how similar we look.”

John was silent for a moment, before he pressed his cheek against Bruce’s shoulder and wrapped his arms around him. “Well, sure, you do have darkness in you, but you’re not like him in that sense. He took from other people to build up his own fortune. You save other people for free and don’t take credit. Sure, there are similarities, but only because of genetics.”

Bruce gave a soft sigh, smiling ever so slightly. “Thanks, John.”

“But… I gotta ask, Bruce… why did your mom end up with someone like Thomas Wayne?” John pulled away, then he took Bruce’s hand into his own, interlocking their fingers.

“They fell in love, John. I think they met and married before he gained ties with Hill and Falcone, or, she didn’t know at first at the very least.”

John hummed softly, looking down at their hands. “I guess. But if she knew about them eventually, then why didn’t she just go straight to the police? Or, like, divorce him?”

“John, if you found out that I had ties to criminals, what would you do?”

“Well, I wouldn’t turn you in! I love you!” His bright expression turned into a slightly more bewildered one once he realized Bruce’s point. “I.. I see.”

After a moment, John looked up at him again. “Wait a sec, you don’t have ties to the criminal underworld, do you?”

“No, hon.”

“Just making sure!”

***

It had been a few weeks since that conversation. All the mirrors in the manor were uncovered. Most days, Bruce didn’t give them a second glance.

He couldn’t erase what happened in the past. He had to move forward, He couldn’t do anything for the people who’d already been hurt, but he could prevent others from getting hurt in the same way.

Bruce stopped dwelling on what his father did. While his father’s public image was destroyed, his own had been repaired. Still, he knew that when most people talked to him, Thomas Wayne crossed their minds. It wasn’t something you could just brush under the rug.

John was one of the few people who didn’t instantly think of Thomas when he saw Bruce. No, he saw Bruce for Bruce. Bruce was strong, always ready for a fight. He didn’t hide like his father did.

John was sitting in the hallway, playing with Batsy. Batsy had so much energy, which confused John. Weren’t cats supposed to sleep more than 16 hours a day? He shook his head, grinning to himself as he rubbed Batsy’s head. No, Batsy was still a kitten, of course he had a lot of energy.

Batsy even knew how to play fetch. He dropped the small, bright blue ball next to John. John grinned and picked it up, then threw it down the hall. Batsy ran after it, and after he caught up to it, he picked it up in his mouth and trotted back over to John.

John petted Batsy’s head and the small cat laid down next to him, purring loudly. Batsy was so soft and so adorable. Just like a certain human that John knew…

John was pulled from his thoughts when he heard glass shattering.

He instantly stood up. Did someone break into the manor? Did someone know that they were..?

Batsy gave a confused meow, and John put a finger to his lips. “Batsy, not now.” If someone had broken in, he’d have to play it off. He wouldn’t be able to grab one of his Sleepers- it would reveal that he was Joker.

John began to creep down the hall slowly. He had to pretend to be some innocent man who lived with and dated an equally innocent Bruce Wayne. He turned the corner, ready to face some robber that somehow had gotten past their security system.

Instead, he saw Bruce.

“Bruce..?”

John took a few steps forward. Bruce was standing in front of a mirror- it was broken. There was glass on the table beneath it. He was staring down at his hands.

As John got closer, he realized Bruce was holding his right hand in his left, knuckles up. “Bruce… buddy?” He could see there were lines of red dripping down Bruce’s knuckles. He was now right next to Bruce, and he got his first really good look at the mirror, seeing drops of red at what he assume was the impact point.

“I..” Bruce spoke softly, like he was far away. John looked at his hand, then back at the mirror.

“Hey, Bruce, I’m gonna..” John took a breath to steady himself. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

John was back by Bruce’s side within a minute, this time with a first aid kit. He set it on the table, pulling a few things out of it. “Your hand.”

It was a command of sorts, and Bruce obliged, holding out his hand to John. “I didn’t mean to break it.”

John carefully took his hand, and after holding it up to the light and picking out a few tiny shards of glass, he looked at Bruce. “I know. It’s ok.”

Bruce still seemed very far away. “I just got so angry.. All I could think about was… My mother is dead because of him, John.”

John began to clean his knuckles. “Personally, I see more of your mother in you. You got your hair color from her. And your big heart. Though, I suppose most people you talk to aren’t likely to compare a son to their mother. They’re probably very.. er..”

“Old-fashioned and not too keen on promoting the idea that men have emotions?” Bruce shrugged. “Honestly, you’re right. It doesn’t help that my father was out in the spotlight most of the time. My mom helped from the shadows. We still don’t know much about her, really.”

“Right! Most people you talk to probably are still living in the ‘50s, where women are the stay-at-home housewives for their hard-working husbands!” John flashed him a grin. “Not me, though! I’m a house.. Uh… a house boyfriend! One hundred percent male!!” He went back to focusing on Bruce’s hand, beginning to cover up the cuts.

“I don’t have too many memories of her… but she would’ve loved you.” Bruce said after a minute of silence.

John looked up at him. “Really?”

“Definitely. One of my earliest memories is me sitting in her lap at her desk. It was the first time she explained charities to me- explained who the money went to and why. I don’t think I fully got it- it took a few tries for her to explain it well enough. She was… already telling me what was right and what was wrong.. Maybe my father was already…”

John grinned. “Mama Wayne sounds like a really great lady! No wonder you turned out so well!” He had started putting in a few stitches while Bruce talked, and was just finishing up. He bandaged Bruce’s knuckles to protect them and the stitches. “Well, like I’ve said, I’m sure this place is crawling with ghosts. I’m sure she’s hanging around.”

John began to put the supplies away, and Bruce looked back at the mirror, sighing softly. “I gotta clean this up.”

John shook his head. “I’ll get it. Don’t worry about it.”

“No, I really should-”

“ _Bruce_.”

John crossed his arms. “I’ll get it.”

Bruce sighed after a moment. He couldn’t push this. “Alright... Thank you.” He pulled John into a hug, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

John grinned. “You’re welcome.”

“Thanks for patching me up.”

“You’re very welcome. Now, go play with Batsy.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading!! :3 I'm slowly chipping away at the next chapter in Accident. I was away for a couple days and I just haven't had a good time to just sit down and bang it out since I've been home, but I have at least most of the upcoming chapter planned out. I'm a mess.. but it's ok! Requests are open if anyone wants to see anything in particular. I'm becoming a lot more active on tumblr, and you can find me there with the same name as on here! <3


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